Having a family member who is struggling with an addiction is very difficult. It is hard to watch someone you love suffer and it can be hard to know what to do. You may feel like you want to shake them out of it, or you may feel betrayed or angry. You want to help, but it is not always clear how to go about it. The main thing is to never give up on your loved one. It can be very frustrating at times, but you need to understand that they are not acting on their own when they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Most people would not do the things that they do while under the influence if they were sober. That is why the use of drugs and alcohol creates a very dangerous and unpredictable situation for the person using them and also for those closest to the addict. Options Treatment Center in Louisville, CO, is a good way to help your loved one get free of their addiction.
If you are trying to help a family member to get out of the destructive lifestyle of drugs or alcohol abuse, there are a few things that you can do to help. First off, if you have not been in the same boat as them at one point in your life, you won’t be able to understand what they are going through fully and this is an important part of being able to help them. That doesn’t mean that you should go get drunk and use drugs, but you should try to learn as much as you can about their addiction. There is plenty of material that is easily accessible on the internet or in books or even on television. Educate yourself, and if your loved one is attending meetings or any kind of treatment, show your support and go with them. This is a great way to see what they are going through and there is often plenty of resources available at rehabilitation centers.
Remember that you cannot control the actions of someone else even if you really want to, but you can influence their actions by what you do. Be patient and supportive even if you are angry with their actions. Show them that you still love them although you hate the addiction. Don’t waste your time beating yourself up or wishing you could change the past either. It won’t help, and it will only break you down. Keep yourself up so that you can help your loved one to rise up out of their addiction. Anger is often the first response to finding out about a loved one’s addiction. You feel betrayed and powerless and don’t know what to do so it is beneficial to be able to express how you feel to someone other than your addicted loved one. A treatment center will give you the support system that you need in addition to the rest of your family if available. Keep yourself strong so that you can keep your loved one strong.
A treatment center may be a good route and especially if the addiction has gotten way out of control. They will have trained staff, the resources, and tools needed as well as medicine to help ween off those addicted to hard drugs. They will be able to provide meetings with counselors and will also be able to coach you on what you need to do to help the situation. A treatment center will also give you the support that you need so that you will not feel as isolated or alone in your struggle. Addiction is hard not only for the person who is addicted but also for the family.
You can’t make your loved one quit, and you can’t enable your loved one’s addiction. You also can’t do the recovery process for them. The recovery process is something that they will have to do on their own. It may take until they reach rock bottom before they realize that they need help but you want to try to get them the help that they need before then if possible. Don’t let your loved one overstep your boundaries either. Be firm and hold your ground. You want to help and not enable the addiction further.
We are not doctors and this is in no way intended to be used as medical advice and we cannot be held responsible for your results. As with any product, service or supplement, use at your own risk. Always do your own research before using.
Meg is an author at Cinnamon Hollow. She writes on a variety of topics sharing tips and ideas for daily life.